(S) SWISS AIMING TO PREVENT MEDIA TORNADO ON

S E C R E T BERN 001218 SIPDIS SIPDIS TREASURY FOR U/S LEVEY, DAS GLASER, SERAFINI AND SHARMA E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/24/2016 TAGS: PTER EFIN SZ SUBJECT: (S) SWISS AIMING TO PREVENT MEDIA TORNADO ON TERRORIST FINANCE TRACKING PROGRAM REF: SECSTATE 103650 Classified By: Charge d'Affairs a.i. Carol Urban, E.O. 12958, Reasons 1 .4 (B) and (D) ¶1. (S) Charge d'Affairs a.i. Carol Urban met with Department of Finance (EFD),Director for Financial Markets, Rene Weber to deliver points in REF A mid-afternoon June 23, 2006. The Charge highlighted the legal safeguards and auditing that are in place in the Terrorist Finance Tracking Program and urged EFD to read through the background information thoroughly and contact the Embassy if there were additional questions. Weber said he would brief Finance Minister Merz, who was unavailable to meet with the Charge due to parliamentary debate, and contact the Embassy with any concerns. ¶2. (S) Weber relayed a list of questions where EFD believes Swiss parliamentarians or the Swiss cabinet might seek answers. -- How often does SWIFT transfer information (weekly, monthly)?; -- Does the G-10 have oversight and how often is the G-10 briefed on the activities under the TFTP?; -- In regard to wire transfers and FATF Special Recommendation 7, what, if any, additional information is provided on wire transfers?; -- How does the SWIFT audit function and what is done in the instance of a disagreement?; and -- Did the G-10 jointly approach SWIFT for the FATF program or did the USG approach SWIFT unilaterally? ¶3. (S) Weber emphasized that the Department of Finance does not want this issue to become a "media tornado." The Swiss have been and are involved in the TFTP, support combating terrorism finance and thus EFD won't criticize the program. The Charge agreed that minimizing the play this story gets in the media would be positive. ¶4. (S) Embassy has scheduled a meeting with the Department of Foreign Affairs State Secretary Michael Ambuehl for Monday. The State Secretary has been in meetings with the Foreign Minister most of Friday, but we have briefed his staff on the subject matter. ¶5. (S) Embassy Bern appreciates Washington's efforts to provide timely answers to the questions posed by the Department of Finance so that we can assist the Swiss in properly briefing their cabinet and interested parliamentarians. Urban